16/06/2005

Paolo Sorrentino's next movie, L'amico di famiglia ('Friend of the Family'), focuses on the ruses of a usurer who manages to sneak into a typically Italian family. Following the success and awards for The Consequences of Love, the director is definitely back to work: he is currently busy with the casting and will be ready to start shooting in Naples in October.
The main character, the "friend of the family" in question, is reminiscent of the strange money launderer who falls in love in The Consequences of Love, but this time, we are dealing with an old usurer, a Reader’s Digest fan who sees himself as a saviour for the poor 'clients' who beg him for money to pay for gambling debts and face-lifts.

“I am interested in secret deviant behaviours which are related to money,” Sorrentino explains, “and in the personality of all these people covered in debts. I am attracted to mischievous people and I love exploring the remote areas of the subconscious, to see what influences the dark corners of the subconscious mind. Even my mobster was odd, not typical. I don't like Italian movies meant for 'export', I like those which are fully European, cynical and obsessional films.”
L'amico di famiglia is co-produced by Fandango, Indigo Film and Medusa, who will also handle distribution.

(Translated from Italian)